Yafteh Cave
غار یافته · Yafte · Yafteh Cave Lorestan
Upper Palaeolithic (c.35,000–30,000 BP)·Baradostian (Zagros Aurignacian)·🇮🇷 Lorestan Province, Khorramabad valley west, Iran
About
About Yafteh Cave
Classic Upper Palaeolithic cave 35–30 ka, 3 m Baradostian deposits ( Aurignacian-like blades, carinated cores, shell ornaments, ochre). Radiocarbon sequence by Bordeaux, shell beads (Nassarius, Antalis), bone points and fox-tooth pendants. Excavated 2005– by Marcel Otte and Sonia Shidrang shows early modern human behaviour with personal ornaments contemporary to Ksar Akil. AMS dates 35.64–30.92 ka calibrate Aurignacian in Zagros.
Why it mattersZagros UP ornaments earliest; Ksar Akil parallel west Zagros.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Baradostian Aurignacian link?
Theories
- 01Zagros UP dispersal
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Natural cave occupied c.35,000 BP
- Period
- Upper Palaeolithic (c.35,000–30,000 BP)
- Culture
- Baradostian (Zagros Aurignacian)
- Builders
- Early modern humans (Baradostian)
- Purpose
- Ornament and blade workshop, bead production and hunting camp
- Abandoned
- c.30,000 BP
- Rediscovered
- 1965 Hole; 2005 Otte–Shidrang re-excavation
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
c.35,000 BP
Baradostian occupation
c.32,000 BP
Peak bead workshop
2005
Otte AMS re-excavation
On the ground
Structures & features
33.5800° N · 47.5000° E · 1020 m · 3 mapped features
Yafteh Cave — Bead workshop
workshopNassarius and Antalis bead horizon, level 6
33.5805° N · 47.5000° EYafteh Cave — Carinated core floor
workshopAurignacian carinated blade core scatter
33.5800° N · 47.5005° EYafteh Cave — Ochre hearth
hearthOchre-stained hearth with bone points
33.5795° N · 47.4995° E
Gallery